Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to deliver keynote address at launch event in New York

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah will announce today the establishment of the U.S. Global Development Lab at an event in New York City. The launch event will feature a keynote address by former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has been a strong supporter of the use of science, innovation, and partnerships to further U.S. development goals.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) congratulates Deborah L. Birx on her confirmation as the new Global AIDS Coordinator for the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) in the Department of State. OGAC is responsible for implementing the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), of which USAID is a key implementing agency.

On April 2, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah, at the request of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, will help to kick-off the first-ever U.S.-hosted meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense ministers in Honolulu, Hawaii. Ten defense ministers from the ASEAN nations will be in attendance. Officials from the Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will also participate.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers keynote address at launch event in New York

On April 3, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah will announce the establishment of the U.S. Global Development Lab at an event in New York City. The launch event will feature a keynote address by former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has been a strong supporter of the use of science, innovation, and partnerships to further U.S development goals.

Today, the World Health Organization certifies the South-East Asia Region polio-free, marking another major milestone in the global fight against polio, and a significant step to protect all children against this debilitating, but preventable disease. Southeast Asia is the fourth WHO region to be certified polio-free, joining the Americas (1994), and the Western Pacific (2000) and European (2002) regions.

This morning in South Sudan U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance Nancy Lindborg announced that the United States is providing nearly $83 million in additional humanitarian assistance to the people of South Sudan affected by the recent violence.

On March 22-25, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance Nancy Lindborg will travel to South Sudan to see firsthand U.S. efforts to respond to the escalating humanitarian crisis in that country.

Today the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Swedish International Development Agency, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of The Netherlands announced the launch of the Desal Prize for innovations in brackish water desalination. The Desal Prize is part of the $32 million Securing Water for Food: A Grand Challenge for Development. The U.S. Bureau for Reclamation is providing support in the design and implementation of the prize.

USAID, ITVS, CARE, and the Ford Foundation, partner to use documentary film to boost global development

On March 13, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah will participate in a panel discussion highlighting Women and Girls Lead Global, a public-private partnership between USAID, CARE, the Ford Foundation and the Independent Television Service (ITVS). The discussion will take place at Meridian’s White-Meyer House in Washington, D.C.

Today the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Demographic and Health Surveys Program released Women's Lives and Challenges: Equality and Empowerment since 2000, a report that assesses gains in women’s status and gender equality worldwide.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and US-ASEAN Business Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to create the US-ASEAN Business Alliance for Competitive Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The MOU was signed by USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, Council President Alexander Feldman, and Procter & Gamble Vice President Carolyn Brehm as the representative of the Council’s ASEAN committee.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah will give opening remarks and sign an MOU with the US-ASEAN Business Council to launch of the US-ASEAN Business Alliance for Competitive Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with World Vision and the Australian government, launched the second round of All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR GCD). This international grant competition will make available a total of $2.7 million for innovations and programs that leverage the transformative power of technology to leapfrog existing infrastructure challenges and empower children to read.

Today, USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah completed a two-day visit to Kathmandu, during which he announced approximately $100 million in support of the people of Nepal subject to the availability of funding. Dr. Shah met with Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and other key political leaders and spoke at the closing session of the Nepal Economic Summit, where he stressed the private sector’s role in accelerating Nepal’s economic growth. Dr. Shah also visited sites that highlight USAID’s commitment to using innovation, science, technology, and partnerships—with the Nepali government, civil society, and the private sector—to deepen development impact.

On February 24, The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM), in partnership with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, will host an expert panel discussion on water, conflict, and peacebuilding to mark the release of USAID’s Water & Conflict Toolkit.

Global Forest Watch unites more than 40 government, business and civil society partners to curb forest destruction by putting free and transparent information in the hands of people who care most about forests.

The United States Agency for International Development’s Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) intends to award 40 grants to U.S. organizations during the second quarter of fiscal year 2014, totaling just over $20 million. Individual grants range from approximately $120,000 to $1,800,000 and support organizations that embody ASHA’s legislative mandate to promote civil society, foster exchange, mutual understanding and cultivate deeper relationships with the United States.

This week, U.S. Agency for International Development Assistant Administrator Eric Postel will represent USAID at the London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade, which brings together more than 35 heads of state, foreign ministers, and other high-level government officials to bring global attention to the crisis of wildlife trafficking and discuss solutions for combating this pernicious illegal trade.

Yesterday, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the Support Which Implements Fast Transitions IV (SWIFT) indefinite quantity contract. SWIFT is a five-year agreement with a potential of up to $2.5 billion. The contract will help advance peace and democracy in countries that are in transition. This is the fourth iteration of the SWIFT contract.